The FORTIFIED Factor

Take a deep dive into all the details of the 2025 FORTIFIED Standard at each level: Roof, Silver and Gold. Knockout Inspections is a national leader in FORTIFIED Evaluations and ready to help you achieve this collection of construction upgrades that work together to protect your home from severe weather. Questions? Give us Knockout a call at 855-GO-FOR-KO, or visit fortifiedhome.com .

Is your home winter ready? Maybe it's not winter right now, but it never hurts to know how to prepare. This comprehensive episode covers everything you need to know on winterizing your home - including annual preparation, home upgrades, last-minute prep, and what to do after winter storms. To learn more on this topic, visit ibhs.org/winter-ready . And as always, you can call 855-GO-FOR-KO or visit...

Is your home thunderstorm ready? This comprehensive episode covers everything you need to know on severe weather preparedness and recovery - including annual preparation, home upgrades, last-minute prep, and what to do after severe weather.  To learn more on this topic, visit ibhs.org/thunderstorm-ready. And as always, you can call 855-GO-FOR-KO or visit fortifiedhome.com for any questions regardi...

Hurricane season runs from June 1st - November 30th. This episode goes over tips from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) on how to plan ahead and prepare your home for hurricane weather. These tips can be found at ibhs.org/hurricanereadyhome .  If you have any questions following this episode, call 855-GO-FOR-KO or visit fortifiedhome.com to get in touch with Knockout Insp...

How does a roof become a FORTIFIED Roof? Not only does a roofer have to follow the FORTIFIED building standards, but a FORTIFIED Evaluator also has to document the work through a set of required photos and attachments. Learn more about this required documentation in this episode of The FORTIFIED Factor. For questions or more information, call 855-GO-FOR-KO or visit fortifiedhome.com.

Everything starts with a good foundation, or in FORTIFIED's case, a sealed roof deck. This episode covers the different methods for sealing a home's roof deck and the importance of doing so. Like everything with FORTIFIED, it's all about resiliency and the strength to stand up to high winds, hail, and major storms. If you have any questions following this episode, give Knockout Inspections a call...

In response to the California wildfires, Knockout Inspections wishes to bring attention to the available guides and resources for wildfire preparedness provided by IBHS (the same institute that created the FORTIFIED Home program). If you have any questions following this episode, give us a call at 855-GO-FOR-KO, or visit fortifiedhome.com.

This episode is all about FORTIFIED Commercial and how its levels of Roof, Silver and Gold differ from the residential standards. Visit fortifiedcommercial.org for more on the Commercial Standard. You can also click here to view IBHS's technical document. As always, trust Knockout Inspections as your FORTIFIED Expert. Call 855-GO-FOR-KO or visit fortifiedhome.com to get in touch with any questions...

In this episode, we're covering ten key talking points for REALTORS to know about the FORTIFIED Homes Program that can benefit their clients! Click here to download the coordinating PDF as a free resource! For any questions, visit fortifiedhome.com or give Knockout Inspections a call at 855-GO-FOR-KO!

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has updated the FORTIFIED Home Standard for 2025! Whether you own an existing FORTIFIED Home, help clients buy and sell FORTIFIED Homes in your area, or build/roof to these advanced requirements, you'll want to take a listen to this summary of changes. After all, knowledge is power! Technical Documents referenced in this episode: Click...

The Insurance Institute of Business and Home Safety (IBHS) does a lot more than most people think, and their Research Center--located in Chester County, South Carolina--is equipped with state-of-the-art technology that significantly advances building science and influences residential and commercial structural design and construction, helping to create more resilient communities. Listen here to le...

Have questions about the FORTIFIED Home Program? This episode is for you! We're diving in to answer the most commonly asked questions about this enhanced building standard for stronger, safer homes. As leading experts in FORTIFIED evaluations, Knockout Inspections is the trusted source to answer these FAQs. If you have questions following this episode, please visit fortifiedhome.com or call us at...

This week's episode is all about Strengthen Alabama Homes (SAH) Program, which provides grants to Alabama residents for residential wind mitigation on existing, owner occupied, single family homes. Funding for this program comes from the insurance industry in Alabama and is not funded from the state’s general budget, nor is it tied to a federally funded program. Recipients of the grant are awarded...

In this episode of The FORTIFIED Factor Podcast, we dive into how FORTIFIED Home™ standards are reshaping the housing market in Alabama. Learn how these resilient building practices are driving down insurance premiums, boosting property values, and unlocking significant savings for homeowners and builders. We also explore the financial benefits for builders incorporating FORTIFIED into their proje...

In the final episode of our series on certified FORTIFIED professionals, we turn our focus to the FORTIFIED Builder. Builders certified in FORTIFIED standards are uniquely equipped with specialized knowledge and skills to construct homes that can withstand intense weather events. We’ll discuss what it means to be a FORTIFIED Builder, the training involved, and how these professionals are essential...

In the second episode of our three-part series on the professionals certified in the FORTIFIED Home Program, we shine a light on the FORTIFIED Roofer. These experts play a crucial role in protecting homes by ensuring roofs are installed to meet rigorous FORTIFIED standards, which provide enhanced defense against severe weather. We’ll explore the skills, training, and techniques FORTIFIED Roofers u...

In the first episode of our three-part series on the experts behind the FORTIFIED Home Program, we spotlight the FORTIFIED Evaluator—a key professional in making resilient, storm-ready homes possible. We’ll uncover the training and certification process FORTIFIED Evaluators undergo to assess homes for FORTIFIED standards, helping homeowners secure the best protection against severe weather. With K...

In this episode of The FORTIFIED Factor , we dive deep into what it takes to prepare your home for hurricane season and the critical steps for handling the aftermath. Join us as we explore how FORTIFIED Home building standards provide essential strength and resilience, designed to help homes withstand hurricane-level winds and reduce damage. With these enhanced construction practices, homeowners c...

In this episode, we dive into the importance of FORTIFIED Roofs in protecting your home from severe weather. Learn how a FORTIFIED Roof can effectively shield your property from damaging winds and relentless rain, preventing a cascade of destruction to your home and belongings. Designed to withstand the forces of nature, FORTIFIED Roofs are specifically engineered to combat damage from high winds,...

Is it getting to be time for a new roof? What are the warning signs? This episode dives into just that and how a FORTIFIED Roof might be the solution. Should you have questions following this episode, visit fortifiedhome.com or call us at 855-GO-FOR-KO.

A FORTIFIED Home™ Designation, at any level, is good for five years. After that, a FORTIFIED Evaluator will need to come do a renewal evaluation on the exterior of your home to make sure the Roof is in good condition and nothing has changed to affect the integrity of your home's structure. Photo documentation of your home is taken during the initial designation process and the renewal evaluation,...

The three levels of the FORTIFIED Home program all build on top of one another. FORTIFIED starts at the Roof level to make sure your home is properly sealed to external forces. From there, the Silver level strengthens connecting features like soffits, gable ends, attached structures and garage doors. Lastly, a Gold level home is fully secured with end-to-end connections running throughout the stru...

Learn how the FORTIFIED Home™ building standards – developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) – protect your home and create the potential for receiving big discounts on your homeowners insurance. For any questions, visit fortifiedhome.com or give us a call at 855-GO-FOR-KO.